"Richard Paton (1717 – 7 March 1791) was a British marine painter.
Paton spent his artistic career in London, where he is said to have been born, ...
although no record of his birthplace or parentage is known. He is said to have grown up in poverty, and he is described as "self-taught". Some critics have discerned an influence of Samuel Scott´s works, and also of Charles Brooking. Any such influence is hardly evident.
According to an account by Harry Parker, in "The Mariner´s Mirror", March 1912, p 85, while Paton was begging "on Tower Hill, he attracted the attention of Admiral Sir Charles Knowles (died 1777), who happened to be passing that way, and who, taking a fancy to the boy, offered to take him to sea". He was assistant to the ship’s painter on Knowles´ ship, gaining knowledge in both painting and seamanship. In 1742, he started working at the Excise Office." - (en.wikipedia.org 25.11.2019)
